9 Best Annual Flowers to Plant in Your Garden

Annual flowers are flowering plants that last for one growing season, meaning they germinate, grow, produce seeds, and die within the course of a year. If you want to keep annual flowers in your garden after a year, you’ll have to replant them. By contrast, perennial plants—like herbs and some flowers—don’t need to be replanted every year because they grow for a longer period of time.

There are three types of annual flowers categorized by their ability to withstand winter temperatures: hardy, semi-hardy, and tender annuals.

1. 1. Hardy annuals: Hardy annuals are better able to tolerate cooler temperatures than their semi-hardy and tender counterparts. You can plant hardy annual flowers before the last frost in the early spring or in the late summer. Examples of hardy annuals include spider flowers, snapdragons, and pinks.
2. 2. Semi-hardy annuals: Semi-hardy annuals can also tolerate cooler temperatures but only moderate frost. When you plant them slightly before the last frost of the season, these annuals will blossom in the fall with a fairly long blooming time. Examples of semi-hardy annuals include zinnias, calendula, and petunias.
3. 3. Tender annuals: Tender annuals are warm-weather flowers that have little-to-no tolerance for freezing temperatures. Plant tender annuals well after there’s any possibility of frost. Examples of tender annuals include angelonias, begonias, and marigolds.

There are many annual plants to choose from, so start by familiarizing yourself with these popular varieties.

1. 1. Begonia: Begonias are flowering plants with lush foliage and over 1,000 species. Whether you plant them in flower beds or hanging baskets, begonias are relatively easy to grow and will continue to flower all summer when properly taken care of.
2. 2. Geranium: Geraniums come in a variety of colors, including red, blue, lavender, and white. They require full sun and frost-free conditions to prosper. They’re not only great for garden beds but are hardy container plants as well. Geraniums bloom in the spring and summer, often flourishing for months.
3. 3. Impatiens: Impatiens are one of the most popular annual flowers because of their ability to grow well in the shade. Their love of moist soil and shade makes this summer-blooming flower perfect for shady yards or window boxes that don’t get much sun.
4. 4. Zinnia: Zinnias have frilly, full flowerheads on single leafy stems that make for a spectacular display of cut flowers. A favorite of hummingbirds, butterflies, and summer gardeners alike, zinnia flowers are a low-maintenance, cheerful addition to everything from flower gardens to window boxes.
5. 5. Dahlia: Dahlia flowers come in a range of colors and sizes, including the popular waterlily, collarette, pompon, peony, and cactus dahlia varieties. Smaller bedding dahlias have flowers that are only a few inches wide, while taller dinner plate dahlias can grow blooms up to 15 inches in diameter. Though they’re technically perennial plants, they can only survive the winter in USDA Hardiness Zones 8–11, and gardeners often grow them as annuals in other climate zones.
6. 6. Marigold: Marigolds are pollinator-friendly, low-maintenance flowers with a long bloom time. Some marigold varieties look like daisies while others have many layers of petals that resemble carnations. Marigolds are easy to plant, and they flourish in hot climates.
7. 7. Pansy: Pansies are edible, cool-weather flowers that bloom in early spring. When the weather gets hot, they’ll die off, which is why some gardeners treat pansies as annual bedding plants. You can also grow pansies as perennials or biennials. Cut the plants back in the summer, and they may bloom again in the fall.
8. 8. Celosia: Celosia—also known as woolflowers—are striking annuals with bright flowers that resemble plumes of feathers. Plant them in well-draining soil and a spot that receives full sun, and you’ll be able to enjoy them all summer.
9. 9. Petunia: Petunias have cheerful, gramophone-shaped blossoms. Petunias thrive in full sun and require lots of regular watering. Deadheading can help some varieties of petunia—like Grandiflora and Multiflora petunias—maintain their appearance and productivity.

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